As a solo travel coach one of the questions I hear most is this: is solo travel lonely? As I write this article, I’m on a solo trip in Thailand.

Even though I’ve traveled solo many times, I experienced an adjustment period during my first couple days in Bangkok. I felt deeply lonely at first. 

But potential loneliness is not a reason to avoid traveling alone. It’s just something to manage. And since I’ve both faced and overcome loneliness as a solo traveler I’m well equipped to teach you how. 

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11 Ways to Overcome Solo Travel Loneliness

Whether you’re currently on a solo trip or about to embark on one soon, here are tips you can put into practice right away to navigate feelings of loneliness. 

1. Start by evaluating your risk 

One thing I’ve learned about solo travel is that it will tell you a lot about your relationship with yourself.

The more comfortable you are spending time in your own company, the less likely you are to experience debilitating loneliness. 

But you don’t have to wait until you’re on a solo trip to discover where you stand with yourself. Take yourself out on some solo dates or local staycations first. 

If you realize you’re not yet able to enjoy being with yourself, that awareness is a great starting point for transformation. 

2. Dine at communal food halls 

One of the biggest hesitations potential solo travelers have is around having to eat alone. Mealtimes are often prime social situations and eating out alone can feel awkward. 

One way to mitigate loneliness at mealtimes is to eat at a food hall. While you’ll still technically be solo, chances are you won’t be the only one.

Communal tables at these food halls could also present an opportunity to strike up conversations with fellow diners. 

Even if you don’t speak to anyone, you’ll be surrounded by a buzzing energy. 

3. Get outside

The most effective way I was able to shift myself out of the loneliness I felt upon arrival in Bangkok was by getting out and about. 

When you’re inside at your hotel, it can feel overwhelming to motivate yourself out into an unfamiliar city. But the risk of not doing so is descending deeper into feelings of stuckness and loneliness. 

Getting outside, even if it’s just walking to a nearby cafe or sitting on a bench in the city center, allows you to get out of your own head and into a livelier environment.

It gives you something else to focus on, and can reignite the sense of exploration that made you book your solo trip in the first place.

4. Join group experiences

If simply being near people isn’t enough and you’d prefer actual interaction, then sign up for group experiences. A food tour is a great way to try local foods alongside fellow foodie travelers. 

Other ideas are day trips, cooking classes, or even pub crawls if that’s your scene. It isn’t mine, but it would be a fun and safer way to experience nightlife as a solo traveler.

5. Meet people online 

I’ve had good experiences with apps like Bumble BFF and Facebook groups when it comes to meeting people while traveling. You’ll be set up to connect with likeminded, fellow travelers. 

If you’d rather meet people one-on-one than through larger group tours then this is the best approach. But be sure to take the initiative to make plans.

Propose a restaurant, museum or activity from your itinerary and invite someone to join in on specific plans.

At the time of writing this, I’m in Chiang Mai in Thailand and have dinner plans for tomorrow night with a woman I met in a Facebook group!

6. Choose your destination with community in mind 

If you know you’ll want to socialize and meet people while traveling, then start by choosing a destination that makes this easy to do.

Consider places that are culturally more collectivist rather than individualistic, where community is the way of life. 

Also consider destinations that are popular with digital nomads, which have coworking and coliving spaces readily available. 

7. Network before your trip

You might find that you have people within your network at your destination.

Perhaps it’s a friend of a friend, an alum from the school you attended, a co-worker at a local office of the global company you work for, etc.

Reach out to your friends and family or check on LinkedIn to see whether there’s anyone you might like to get a coffee with while you’re traveling. 

I learned that a fellow alum of my graduate school program now lives in Chiang Mai, and reached out to see if we could meet while I’m visiting. 

Tapping into your existing network for potential connections is a comfortable way to break up alone time during your solo trip. 

8. Book a massage or salon appointment

Sometimes, physical touch helps to combat feelings of loneliness. One way to achieve this while also exploring local beauty treatments is to pamper yourself with a massage, facial, haircut or nail appointment. 

Depending on where you are in the world, you might also find such treatments to be much more affordable and accessible than at home. 

9. Check in with someone at home 

Many times, loneliness during solo travel comes up when you experience something cool or funny or interesting and have no one to share it with. 

Make a mental note of all the things you’d like to share with someone as they occur, and then share them with a loved one back home. 

I regularly send photos and videos from my trip to my mom and sister while I’m solo traveling (although this is also a bit of a requirement to keep my mom’s mind at ease about my wellbeing). 

Sending my sister voice notes of funny or neat experiences I have and being able to discuss them with her also eases loneliness.

Have a sense of who you’d like to connect with while traveling and set up the best method / timeframes to do so. 

Will it be video calls? One-off texts or voice notes? Determine what works on both ends.

10. Have a comfort read or watch ready

Do you have a go-to show you watch or book you read at home when you feel down or lonely? Make sure you bring it with you or that you can access it while you travel. 

I always travel with my kindle and have a streaming app on my phone or laptop ready to go with a comfort show. 

11. Make the first move

Many of us want to be approached, invited into a conversation or experience. But few of us are willing to put ourselves out there to be the inviter.

If you’re a solo traveler who wants to meet people I strongly encourage you to be the one to initiate. 

Strike up a conversation with someone sitting near you at a cafe, with the barista, a restaurant owner, someone waiting in line near you for something.

Sometimes it’ll just be a short interaction. Other times, it could turn into more of a connection. 

Be the inviter. 

Final Thoughts: Is Solo Travel Lonely? 

The truth is, yes solo travel can sometimes be lonely. Traveling alone is a great way to hold a mirror up to your relationship with yourself, and to practice enjoying your own company. 

Even though it can feel lonely at times, solo travel is absolutely worth it. And using my tips above I know you’ll be able to navigate your way through those feelings as often as needed.

Ready for the next step? Start planning your trip!